


Drop

by ShayneyL



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Angst, Gen, Prompt Fic, Writer's Month 2020, heights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26113888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShayneyL/pseuds/ShayneyL
Summary: Harry Kim tries to save Tom Paris' life.  Tom is not happy about it.
Relationships: Harry Kim & Tom Paris
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	Drop

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month 2020, Day 25. The prompt is "drop."

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ: *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

They were desperate, or they would have passed on this planet, and waited for an easier source of dilithium. But they were already in gray mode, and there was no way to know if they'd find a better opportunity before it was too late.

The planet had electromagnetic belts that played havoc with _Voyager_ 's equipment. And the dilithium was mostly deep beneath the surface. They considered replicating heavy mining equipment, but they really couldn't spare the energy for that. Instead, they found places where the dilithium was close to the surface. They were all at high elevations, along steep mountain ranges.

"Not the place for anyone with a fear of heights," Harry said as they materialized on a high ledge.

"Stay still," Tom said. He had some experience rock climbing, and had been paired with Harry, who didn't. Most of the mining teams had a similar composition: someone with climbing experience, and someone without. Though it didn't look like climbing would be required here. Still, he attached a rope to a conveniently located tree and clipped it to Harry's harness, then to his own. They'd stay away from the edge, but just case, there was something to catch them if they fell.

There was a shallow opening in the rock of the cliff face backing the ledge. Harry scanned it with his tricorder, then nodded. "This is it."

Tom pulled out his phaser, and used it to widen the opening. A few hours' work, and they had several crates full of dilithium. Fairly high quality, too. B'Elanna would be happy. It wouldn't need much processing. Which was good, because at the moment they didn't have much energy for processing.

"Paris to _Voyager_." There was no answer. Tom wasn't really surprised. The interference meant communication was intermittent at best. He tried again, and this time got through to Chakotay. "We've filled all our crates. Beam them up, and send down some empties."

Harry placed a locator on the crates so _Voyager_ could lock on to them. The crates shimmered, but didn't disappear. "Sorry," Chakotay's voice said. "We're having a little trouble."

Harry adjusted the locator, and stepped back so his combadge wouldn't interfere. The crates disappeared this time. Success. They were waiting for new crates to be beamed down, when the cliff shuddered. Tom yelled in shock as the ground gave way beneath his feet. For a heart stopping moment, he was in free fall. Then the harness tightened around him, catching him as it was supposed to. He looked around for Harry. He was several feet below, dangling in his own harness. "You okay?" Tom called.

"I think we're in trouble, Tom." He was looking up. Tom followed his gaze, and saw the tree he had anchored them to was now at the edge of the cliff, and pulling loose from the weight of the two grown men tied to it.

"Paris to _Voyager_! Beam us up!"

There was no reply. Dirt and rocks pelted him, and they dropped another couple of feet as the tree began giving way in earnest. "Emergency beamout!" Tom shouted. Still no response.

He looked down, and saw Harry had drawn his phaser. To cut handholds in the rock? They didn't have time for that, but he couldn't think of any alternatives. "Paris to _Voyager_! Emergency beamout!"

Then he realized Harry wasn't using the phaser to cut the rock. He was using it on the rope holding him to Tom and the failing tree. "Harry, what you doing? Don't you dare! Stop, that's an order!"

"Tell my parents I love them," Harry said. The rope gave way, and he fell, spinning slowly away as he plummeted what must be a thousand feet. Tom screamed and shut his eyes, not wanting to see Harry die. He was bracing himself for the sound of impact when the transporter took him.

* * *

He'd been beamed straight to sickbay. Harry was lying on the floor at his feet, unconscious. There was some blood coming from his head, but he was in one piece. Tom nearly fainted with relief as the orderlies hurried to put Harry on a stretcher and move him to the bed in the surgical bay. That meant he was alive.

"What happened, Mr. Paris?"

"We fell off a cliff," Tom said, still struggling to orient himself. "I think Harry hit a ledge or something on the way down. If he'd actually hit bottom, you'd need a bucket, not a stretcher."

"Hmm. He has a mild concussion, and some scrapes and bruises," the Doctor said. "What about you? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Please heal Harry. So I can kill him." Tom stalked out of sickbay and headed to the bridge, to give his report to the captain.

The Doctor did a double take, but put it down to the oddities of humans, and turned his attention to his patient.

* * *

Tom tracked Harry down as soon as he was released from sickbay. He didn't even bother to signal at the door, just barged right into Harry's quarters. Harry was sitting on his couch, and looked up, surprised at the sudden intrusion.

"What were you thinking?" Tom yelled. "You _idiot_."

"I…I was trying to save you," Harry said.

"I didn't ask you to save me. Damn it, Harry! You disobeyed a direct order."

"But there was no point in both of us dying." Harry seemed genuinely perplexed.

_Yes, there was. Because if you die, I don't want to live_. Startled at his own thought, Tom sank down on the couch next to Harry. "Just…don't do it again. I swear, Harry, if you do anything like that again, I'll…"

_Cry like a baby_. The tears welled up, and slid hotly down his cheeks. He buried his face in his hands, but didn't resist when Harry's arms slid around him, pulling him close. Tom hugged his friend tightly, shivering at how close he'd come to losing him forever.

Harry was making soothing noises, which Tom eventually resolved into words. "It's okay, Tom, it worked out. We're both fine. This is just the adrenaline crash after a really stressful day. You'll forget all about it tomorrow…"

But Tom knew he wouldn't forget about this. Harry had offered his life for Tom's. And, Tom realized, he would give his life for Harry. In a heartbeat.


End file.
